Theresa May is trying to "pitch the young against the old" by planning to scrap the pension triple lock and universal winter fuel allowance, Jeremy Corbyn has warned.

The Labour leader has been highly critical of the Prime Minister’s manifesto pledges, which he said amount to a "triple whammy of misery" for pensioners.

Mrs May has insisted she is committed to protecting the dignity of Britain's elderly as her plans to cut pensioner benefits and overhaul social care funding came under fire.

In other areas, the Prime Minister has promised measures aimed at regulating the internet.

In an interview with the Times she said: "We want the UK to be the best place for a digital business to be set up and to grow but also the safest and most secure place for people to be online."

The Tory manifesto pledged: "We will be the global leader in the regulation of the use of personal data and the internet."

Mr Corbyn is set to use a campaign rally speech in Birmingham today to drive home the Conservative decision to means tests the winter fuel payment and "dementia tax" care reforms.

He will call on Theresa May to drop the "anti-pensioner package" which formed a central part of her manifesto plan to tackle the major challenges facing the UK.

As well as ending the triple lock which guarantees the state pension rises by at least 2.5 per cent, the manifesto contained plans which could result in more elderly people paying to be looked after in their own home.

Mr Corbyn will say: "Where the Tories look to divide, Labour seeks to bring people together.

"The Tories are now trying to pitch the young against the old. Their manifesto is a typical nasty party attempt to set generations against each other.

"For pensioners they offer a triple whammy of misery, ending the triple lock which protects pensioner incomes, means-testing the winter fuel allowance and slapping a 'dementia tax' on those who need social care by making them pay for it with their homes.

"Some claim that cutting support for the elderly is necessary to give more help to the young. But young people are being offered no hope by the Tories either - loaded up with tuition fee debts and next to no chance of a home of their own.

"Labour stands for unity across all ages and regions. It is simply wrong to claim that young people can only be given a fair deal at the expense of the old, or vice versa. We all depend on each other.

"That's why we are calling on the Tories to drop their anti-pensioner package immediately - older people should not be used as a political football.

"And we will make education free at all levels and build the homes young families need. Only Labour stands for the many against a government which is unmistakably of the few."

Mr Corbyn, on the other hand, has come under renewed scrutiny over his past links to Irish Republicans.

The Daily Telegraph revealed MI5 had opened a file on him by the early 1990s.

A spokesman for the Labour leader said MI5 kept files on "many peace and labour movement campaigners" at the time.